ACS/Data Specialist

The Data Specialist consultant will provide hands-on technical support across the data lifecycle for the project "Advancing Data Integration, Innovation and Capacity in Africa." Responsibilities include data engineering, analytics, and AI-enabled applications to support project objectives, including developing data models, databases, and AI prototypes for policy briefs.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement core data engineering workflows, including the identification, prioritisation and integration of 7–12 high-impact regional and national datasets into the UN Data Commons schema.
• Collect, structure, clean and preprocess datasets from multiple sources to ensure completeness, consistency and accuracy, in line with the project’s data quality assurance framework and established data governance practices.
• Translate technical specifications into data models and database outputs; optimise database performance through query tuning; and develop and maintain relevant database objects, including stored procedures, indexes and logging mechanisms, as required.
• Co-design, develop and test two thematic Analytical Hubs delivered as interactive, web-based dashboards with advanced visualisation and data exploration functionalities, including customisable reporting features.
• Develop an AI-enabled prototype to support the production of data-driven policy briefs, including establishing and maintaining the required tools and workflows for data engineering and machine learning operations.
• Utilise the Analytical Hubs to support policy analysis aligned with regional priorities and contribute to the production of at least six data-driven policy briefs.
• Work closely with domain experts, a data visualisation engineer, and technical team members to translate user needs into sound technical solutions, including coordinating with communications and policy outreach colleagues to ensure usability and uptake.
• Produce clear technical documentation for the end-to-end system and contribute to the project’s capacity-development programme, ensuring that a trained cohort of specialists, particularly from National Statistical Offices (NSOs), can support platform operations and develop their own analytical products.

Requirements

• An Advanced University Degree (master's degree or above) in statistics, engineering, information systems, or a related field is required with 5 years of experience.
• A first-level university degree, in combination with two additional years of relevant work experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
• Extensive experience working with the entire data lifecycle, encompassing frontend and backend web development, data engineering, data analysis, and data visualization is required.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python and SQL is essential for cleaning, pipeline automation, and database management is desirable.
• Experience with frontend technologies (e.g., JavaScript, HTML/CSS, TypeScript) and dashboard/visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) is desirable.
• Proven experience managing large datasets, pipelines, and solving complex data engineering problems is desirable.
• Experience or strong knowledge of open-source tech stacks is very helpful and aligns with the project's strategy to reduce vendor lock-in is desirable.
• Fluency in oral and written English or French is required.

Skills

• Data Lifecycle Management
• Frontend Web Development
• Backend Web Development
• Data Engineering
• Data Analysis
• Data Visualization
• Python Programming
• SQL Programming
• Database Management
• Pipeline Automation
• JavaScript
• HTML/CSS/JavaScript Web Design
• TypeScript
• Power BI
• Tableau
• Large Dataset Handling
• Open-Source Technologies
• AI Applications
• Data Modeling

Languages

English, French